Utah Head Coach Larry Krystkowiak Takes Blame For Loss To Washington

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After a disappointing loss on Sunday afternoon in Seattle, Utah head basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak took the blame for their loss to Washington.

Utah lost to Washington in the final minute after the Huskies ended the game on a 7-0 run which is what Larry Krystkowiak is taking the blame for. After the game, Krystkowiak met with the media and was very short with his answers. Normally in wins or losses, Krystkowiak extends his answers and gives insight on what happened in that game.

That wasn’t the case on Sunday. He was asked about the fight of his team late in the game against Washington.

“Doesn’t do much good to fight when you do that at the end of a game but our last four possessions we turned the ball over. Bad coaching,” Krystkowiak stated.

FINAL

Washington ends the game on a 7-0 run.#GoUtes #Pac12Hoops pic.twitter.com/nwqH8tEYVR

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 24, 2021

Utah HC Larry Krystkowiak Seemed Bothered By Loss To Washington

Krystkowiak answered a question later on about having the lead for most of the game. That response was a little longer but the Utah head coach really seemed bother by this particular loss.

“I don’t think the game went so well,” Krystkowiak mentioned. “I thought we opened up really well and built a nice lead, we missed a bunch of bunnies in the first half. In and around the rim, it seemed like a grind, but you got to make more plays. It was a back and forth kind of game, they responded and hit some big threes when they needed to. We had some players step up and made some big plays as well. Just comes down to doing a better job of valuing every possession. Then all of a sudden, we take on a different mindset where we’re trying to force things and then it wasn’t good. It’s always tough to lose a game regardless. We would’ve loved to have gotten a road sweep, but you have to be better. There were plenty of possessions where we beat ourselves, give Washington credit, but I have no problem with losing a game, I just think that it was certainly self inflicted at times.”

Their loss at home to California in the final game of their four-game home stand many thought would have bothered Krystkowiak more with it being at home, Cal is in the middle of a rebuild and the Utes were coming off of a win over Stanford two days prior.

The loss to Washington stings because the Huskies are the worst team in the Pac-12 with a 3-11 record. Two of their three wins came recently when they won their first conference game of the season on Wednesday against Colorado. Then they are now on a two-game winning streak after beating the Runnin’ Utes.

Branden Carlson had a career-high 18 points in the loss. Timmy Allen nearly had a triple-double with 15 points, 7 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.

The Utes dropped their record to 6-7 overall and 3-6 in Pac-12 play. They will be back on the road to battle Colorado on Saturday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. MST. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.